What to do about rats?

Okay,

I was so much happier when I was ignorant of the world next door, but now that I'm chicky sitting, I have to wake up and smell the rats.

My neighbors got them in their yard. Yes, I could call animal control, etc., etc., but I'd rather figure out a way to deal with them myself as I feel there's a better chance they'll get dealt with.

My husband is a big nature lover (including rats, but sorry, what he doesn't know won't hurt him,) and to a lesser degree, so am I. I want to get the rats, but I don't want to get the squirrels.

That kind of cancels out glue traps and poisons. Any advice regarding live traps and how to kill rodents caught in them?

Thanks!

How bout cats? Our cats keep ours under control. Occasionally we'll get a stray field mouse that sneaks into the coop but if the girls don't get it...they'll chase it out and the cats will!

Just a thought

Definitely cats.

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Ah, yes. Well, not that that isn't good advice, because it is, it's that hubby, while an animal lover and will go to great lengths to see animals in the wild, is very anti pet.His "moral" sermons on the topic can be nauseating to infuriating, but having had pets in the house in the past with him, I'm not going there again. His anti pet policy is why I'm delighted to be chicky sitting the neighbors chickens despite the many obsticles.

Thanks for the advice

Anti pets???? How strange, coming from someone who obviously loves animals. Companion animals are one of God's most wonderful gifts. There are so many feral cats out there, wouldn't it be wonderful to give one of their kittens a home with love and care? And in return, you would get rat control. We do not currently have a cat, ours passed, but I cannot wait to get another cat to help with the rodents.

concrete under the coop/run, 1cmx1cm mesh and feeding either inside the coop or in the middle of the run area will keep them from getting food from the chickens. Metal bins to keep food in.

you could put the traditional snap trap in a tube or box so the squirrels wouldn't go it. Or you could try one of those "Rat zapper"s that electrocute the rat. Both provide a quick painless death. Well they'll be dead before they feel pain anyway, broken neck (snap trap) is seen as humane for livestock so why not pests? And electrocution stuns the animal before its dead. I think live traps are almost as bad as glue or poison, the rat will get caught and panic about its impending doom. In the end they may be killed quickly but its a long way (waiting) to die for a rat.

Attract them with peanut butter. They love it. Tell your man to think that the more you trap using your more humane methods, the less will have to suffer with poison etc.

You could also see if you could hire a person to come with a team of 'rat dogs'. They are efficient killers, grab, shake, dead before the rat even knows what happened.

Ok I have a question about cats. I have field mice that get in the coops. Was thinking of getting a kitten to raise with the chickens. Can that be done? Should I get 2 kittens or 1. I also have dogs that are kept in a seperate part of the yard with 6 foot high privacy fence and chain link fence in between. Yes I dont trust my dogs around the chickens. How would I keep the kitten from going over the fence to the dogs part? And should I get a kitten or a cat? I have a feral cat that will sometimes get in the chicken yard and the rooster runs her off. She has never bothered the chickens. My neighbor traps the cats has them fixed and then lets them go in the neighborhood. He also feeds them. Would my rooster try to chase off the kitten?

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Ah... I see I didn't explain myself well enough. These are not my chickens, I am only chicky sitting for the neighbors. Their chickens, their rats. (They'll be gone seven weeks, which is two weeks longer than they originally told my son when they asked him to do it for them.)

I've used snap traps, glue traps and poisons in the past. Some haven't worked well because they weren't used properly. (Failed to weigh the glue traps down enough to keep them from rolling in the dirt and freeing themselves.) And some of them didn't work because of hubby. He goes around removing poisons, and snapping traps with a stick, or removing them entirely. He's very anti killing anything. He even had the nerve to tell him I'm just hallucinating. This, even after I found a rat as big as a large squirrel dead on the trail.

I'm hoping if I use a live trap and pretend to "take them out to the woods to release them" (I hate lying to the man, but it's for his own good,) than maybe I can get away with murdering rats and tarnishing my soul to damnation in peace.

Anyway, I've never seen or heard of the "Rat Zapper" before. I'll check into it.

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Hi Shela,

I tried to email you, but my computer doesn't do all the tricks it should, so I'm posting it here. Yours is a very good and intriguing question; however, I am afraid it'll get lost and or over looked here. You might think about reposting it separately as it's own topic.

Best wishes!

We have rat catching cats but the resident snakes do a much better job as they can go after them in their hiding place.

I understand some people are deathly afraid of snakes, but they are the best solution around my place.